Carney retires

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Great Britain International and Jetstar Gold Coast Titans #3 signing Brian Carney has retired from all levels of Rugby League, effective immediately.

The thirty year old arrived on the Gold Coast on Sunday and commenced training with his Jetstar Titan team mates yesterday before informing Managing Director Michael Searle and Coach John Cartwright he'd had a change of heart and no longer had the desire to play.

While the news came as an obvious shock, Searle says Brian has the full support of the club. "We totally support Brian in his decision to retire from professional football and support his decision to return home to commence his Masters study at University and to be with his family."

I would like to personally thank Brian for his integrity and the manner in which he handled this, he had the fortitude to do this face to face and that strength of character is rare today."

"Only a footballer knows when it is time to retire and Brian has been struggling with this decision for some time and we wish Brian all the best in the future."

While not wishing to comment publicly, Brian Carney said the decision had been the toughest of his life and he had been struggling with it for some time.

"I have made this decision with a heavy heart and it has been a difficult decision for me to make but I dearly want to get home to my family and I couldn't act like a fraud by taking the Club's money when I knew in my heart I couldn't see the year out."

Ironically Carney was one of the squads best performers during yesterdays training session at the Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre. "The boys are a great bunch of lads and I could not do it to them. Continuing on would have been for all the wrong reasons and I have never played the game for money, it has been for the challenge and I know my mind is not up for this new challenge."

In a further show of sincerity, Carney has requested that the Jetstar Titans hold back a contractual release.

" To ensure there is no speculation about my future I have told the Titans to hold back a contractual release so that offer may go some way to ensure that media speculation is not about me doing this to go back to Great Britain to play rugby league or rugby union"

"I have made this decision to return home so I can go back to the UK to finish my Masters and to reunite with my family. I have always madedecisions for me and now it is time for me to make a decision that is in the interests of my family."